This is my take on Vegetarian Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Recipe.
The healthier stuffed cabbage rolls recipe is based on the German/Bavarian Krautwickel (aka Kohlrouladen).
Get the step by step recipe (with pictures) for the vegetarian stuffed cabbage rolls further below, and learn how to make the healthier German stuffed cabbage rolls from scratch:


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The stuffed meatless cabbage rolls recipe was inspired from a cookbook, in fact, a German friend had sent me a neat Bavarian Cookbook to Goa a few years ago, which has been published by GU in the German-speaking countries.
Unfortunately, that book doesn't exist in English but this Bavarian cookbook here looks promising too.
The book includes dishes that are common in Bavaria (Germany) as well as in the Alps in Tyrol and Salzburg (Austria).
Dishes such as Semmelknödel (Bread dumplings), Sauerkraut, and Trout with Butter Parsley Potatoes are commonly shared traditional dishes across the country borders.
Stuffed cabbage rolls are a delicacy in central Europe.
Apparently, this is also a common dish all over eastern Europe.
Here is a list of names and variations, so basically stuffed cabbage rolls are a European thing. 😉
However, a vegetarian stuffed cabbage rolls recipe is less commonly found.
This particular stuffed cabbage roll recipe in the book was full-on veg!
Imagine my excitement, simply because our daily meals in central Europe are mostly dominated by meat.
Not that I am against meat, I love it and some of the delicious posts on this page prove my "addiction" for the red flesh, but sometimes it's nice to just go veg for a meal or two.
Do you know what I mean?
So I followed the recipe and cooked the meal.
Then I did it again and now it's part of our monthly meal planning, however, over time I modified the rolls dramatically into healthier German stuffed Cabbage Rolls.
The vegetarian stuffed cabbage rolls are healthier because they are stuffed with fresh vegetables and I have added Turmeric Powder to make it even crazier tasty!
The rolls come with a quick & easy to prepare orange-colored sauce.
Pour the sauce just before serving over the veg rolls and you will see how it enhances the flavors in such a beautiful way.
You can garnish with parsley or you can use coriander/cilantro too if you want to make it a bit "Asian".
That's up to you!
👁️ More German Recipes
Dear Reader, Are you a full time vegetarian or part-time like me?
📖 Recipe
Vegetarian Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Recipe
Ingredients
For the Rolls
- 4 Small Potato
- 1 Small Carrot
- 2.1 Ounces Broccoli
- 2 Medium Onions
- 4 Pieces Garlic Cloves
- 4 Fluid Ounces Milk little more then half a cup
- 1 Tablespoon Butter
- ½ Teaspoon Turmeric Ground optional
- Pinch Nutmeg
- Pinch Salt
- Pinch Black Pepper Ground
- 6 Large Green Cabbage Leaves 3 will be cut into half
For the Sauce
- ⅞ Cup Broth almost 1 Cup
- ¾ Cup Table Cream
- ½ Cup Tomato Sauce
- Parsley Fresh chopped, fresh, garnish
Instructions
- Peel your potatoes and carrot and cut them into small dice. Cute the Broccoli into smaller pieces. Cook the veggies until al dente/ not too soft.
- Peel the Onion and Garlic and chop. Fry with some oil for a short time and keep aside.
- Strain veggies (keep veg stock aside for later) and separate potatoes from carrot and broccoli.
- Place potato to the pot and add the milk and butter. Heat up the pan and mash the whole content well.
- Place the pot on the stove and cook, add the broccoli & carrots to the mash, season with turmeric powder, nutmeg, salt and pepper. You can safe the vegetable broth to make the sauce later on.
- Add in half amount of the previously fried garlic and onion from step 2 (the other half will be required for the sauce).
- Add some water to a pot, heat it up and place the cabbage leafs into the water. Allow them to cook for 8 minutes. Take them out of the water once they are soft and cool them shortly under cold water.
- Place one large cabbage leaf on your working space and place a large leaf on top. Add 1-2 Tablespoons full of stuffing into the center.
- Now wrap by pulling the side leaf parts into the center.
- Then gently fold it in on top and down as well.
- Keep on holding it together!
- Take a kitchen twine to hand (about 2 foot/ 60 centimeter long). Hold on your parcel and turn it top side down.
- Take the string underneath the parcel and take it back up, lock the two strings and take the string lengthwise.
- Turn the parcel and lock again the 2 strings with each other.
- Then place the parcels into the pan and fry on one side first.
- Turn and fry the other side so that it gets some color.
- Take the rolls out once finished fried and place the previously sauteed onion and garlic into the pan. Add the veg broth, the cream, the tomato paste and season a bit with salt and pepper and create the sauce. Cook for a 3 minutes until done.
- Serve the Veg Rolls hot, topped with the sauce and some Parsley (or coriander to make it a bit Asian)
Notes
- You can substitute the broccoli with cauliflower too.